Tank-car valve-operating mechanism



J. C. ABEL TANK CAR VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Feb. I 19. 1921 2SheebS-Sheet 2 Patented 9, i923.

ll (C JGSEP- C. ABEL, OF BROOKLYN, NEWT YORK, ASSIGNGR TO AMERXCAN CARAND FOUNDRY COMPANY, OE' Si?. LOUIS, JSSOTJRI, .lr CORORATON OF NEW'JERSEY.

TANK- GAR VALVE-UPERATING MIEGIANISE'L.

Application lcd February T0 (4N ifi/mm 'it may conce/ru lie it knownthat l, Josnrrr C. ABEL, residing` at Brooklyn, in the county of Kingsand State ot New York, and being a citizen of the United States, haveinvented certain new and usclul improvements in a lanlr- CarValve-Uperating Mechanism, oit which the .following is a full, clear,and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and to use the same, reference being` had tothe accompanying drawings, Which illustrate the preferred form olf theinvention, though it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as itis obvious that various modifications thereof Within the scope ot theclaims will occur to persons skilled in the art.

ln said drawings:

Figure 1 is a section through a tank car dome showing my improved valveoperating mechanism, partly in section, and its relation to the manholecover of the dome;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 ot Fin: 1;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 or' Fig. 1 With the operatinglever shown in raised position;

Figure l is 'a section on the line t-a of Fin: 1; and

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

It is the object ot my invention to provide an improved operatingmechanism for the discharge valves ot tanlr cars ot the type ivhereinthe seating of the valve is insured by the seating;l of the manholecover,

In the drawings 1 designates the usual dome sheet having secured theretothe dome head 2 provided with the usual manhole opening. Secured to thedome sheet 1 is the bracket 3 having the opening i in which is journaledthe sleeve 5 projecting from the hub 6 o1 the hand Wheel 7. The sleeve 5is provided at its lower end With a rectangular bore in which is fittedthe squared portion 8 of the valve operating rod 9. rlhe squaredpoi-tion 8 has a reduced cylindrical end 10 that projects through thebore in the hub t and is provided with a split pin 11 to secure the handWheel 7 to the rod 9.

Pivoted to lugs 12 on the bracket 3 by the holt 13 is a lever 1e bentupwardly at its l'ree 192i. Serial No. 446,283.

end and having a handle 15 substantially perpendicular to the body oithe lever. Secured by the rivets 16 to the lever 14; mid way ot itslength is a strap 17 Which forms loop surrounding; the rod 9 justbeneath the sleeve 5 ot the hub Surrounding the rod 9 is a spring 18confined between a Washer 19 bearing' against the strap 17 and a Collar2O secured to the rod 9.

Cast integral with the bracket 3 is a beveled rib 21 overhang'ing ashelf 22, the rib being adapted to engage the lever le when the levelisli'l'ted and guide it t0 a seat on the shelf 22.

Surrounding the manhole openingl is the usual anged collar 23 having ascrew threaded opening in which is mounted the manhole cover 24. Thescrew threaded flange 25 of the cover 24 is extended and ends in a rim26 provided with gear teeth 27 adapted to mesh with gear teeth 28 on therim 29 of the hand Wheel 7. Formed integral yWith the rim 26 is aprojection 30 adapted to engage with the handle 15 when the latter is inits raised position as shown in Fig. 3.

Assuming the valve to be closed and the manhole cover 2t`seated on thelianged'collar 23, rotating the cover 24C to release it will, owing tothe engagement of the teeth 27 and 28, cause the hand Wheel 7 and thevalve to be rotated, the teeth 27 and 2S bc infr kept in engagement bythe spring 18 forcing up the hand Wheel 7 as the cover 24 is raised inthe anged collar 23. The hand Wheel 7 will be lrept in engagement withthe cover 2a during several revolutions of the latter, after which thecover 24 Will rotate Without rotating' the valve. -With the cover 24removed, the valve is operated by raising the lever 14 until the leverengages the beveled rib 21 and is throvvn on to the shelf 22 whichserves t0 support the lever 14 and hold the valve open.

With the valve open and the lever 14C resting on the shelf 227 the cover24 may be placed in the openingl in the collar 23 and screwed part Waydown Without operating the valve While further rotation of the cover 24will cause the projection 3() to engage the handle 15 and torce thelever 14 from the shelf 22 permitting the lever 14 and rod 9 to drop andseat the valve. Further rotation ot the cover 24 will cause the teeth 27and 28 to engage, rotatin the hand Wheel and rotating the valve and;grinding it to its seat. After the teeth 27 and 28 have engaged, thecover 24 will require several complete turns before it will be seated onthe collar 23 and as it is lowered in the collar it Will force down thehand Wheel 9 against the action of the spring 18 thus graduallyincreasing the pressure holding the valve to its seat.

IVhat I claim is:

l. In a tank earA` a valve operating mechanism comprising a lever7 avalve rod and a manhole cover adapted to operate the lever to seat thevalve and to operate the rod to grind the valve to its seat.

2. In a tank car, a valve operating mechanism comprising a. lever, ashelic to support said lever to hold the valve in open position and amanhole eover adapted to move said lever from its position on said shelfto seat the valve.

3. In a tank car, a valve operating mechanism comprising a lever, meansto support said lever to hold the valve in open position, a manholecover adapted to move said lever from its support to seat the valve andmeans operated by said @over to vary the pressure exerted upon thevalve.

t. In a tank car, a valve operating mechanism comprising a hand Wheeladapted to rotate the valve, a manhole cover adapted to operate the handWheel and yielding means holding said hand Wheel and said cover inengagement.

5. In a tank car, a valve operating mechanism comprising a hand wheeladapted to rotate the valve, a manhole cover adapted to operate saidhand Wheel While being opened and a lever for raising the valve from itsseat.

6. In a tank car, a valve operating mechanism comprising a hand Wheeladapted to rotate the valve and a manhole cover adapted to operate thehand wheel and to gradually vary the pressure exerted upon the valve.

'7. In a tank car, a valve operating mechanism comprising a toothedlhand Wheel adapted to rotate the valve, a lever adapted to operate thevalve and a manhole cover having teeth adapted to mesh'ivith the teethoic thehand Wheel and a projection adapted to engage the lever.

8. In a tank ear, a valve operating mechanism comprising a hand Wheelslidahly mounted in its support and a manhole cover adapted to slide thehand Wheel in its supportI to vary the pressure on the valve.

9. In a tank ear7 a valve operating mechanism comprising a hand Wheelfor rotating the valve and a lever for moving the valve to and from itsseat and a common operating means for said hand Wheel and lever.

10. In a tank car, a valve operating mechanism comprising a hand Wheelfor rotating the valve, a lever for moving the valve to and from itsseat, means for supporting the lever With the valve in open position andmeans for moving the lever from. its support.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of tivoWitnesses.

l JOSEPH C. ABEL. Witnesses:

OSCAR HOGHBERG, .IosnrrrrNn MITCHELL. y

